3 years ago, I got the scare I needed to realise that something needed to change. I was having health problems, mainly heart related, due to my weight and it was effecting my life. I was only young, that should not of been happening to me. I shouldn’t have been missing out on all the things my friends were doing just because I couldn’t control what I was eating. I was an emotional eater, and that needed to change.

I started small. I cut out junk, processed foods and stopped getting takeaways. I gave up alcohol for 6 months (which really helped kick start the weight loss) and I started cooking everything from scratch. I had never really cooked before, I was just putting things in the oven, or turning the microwave on. I started buying fresh foods, some I had never tried or even heard of before. I changed the taste of things with herbs and spices, rather than covering it with fatty sauces and I discovered a love of cooking. I actually became pretty good at it. After 6 months, of not really trying, but just cooking more healthily, I had lost 40lbs. I hit a plateau at that point and I knew I had to kick it up a gear, and that meant exercise.

Again, I started slowly, as I knew that I couldn’t just head out and run a 5K. I got a Wii Fit and did some gentle yoga everyday. Not only was it stretching my muscles, ones I didn’t even know I had, but it was relaxing me too. It was great for my mental health and that was something that really helped with my emotional eating. I then started going swimming too. It is a gentle exercise that doesn’t put too much pressure on your joints, which is perfect if you are overweight, and it is a brilliant cardio workout. I moved out of the plateau and the weight started coming off again. I then needed more, so I started going to the gym, picked up a few workout classes with Zumba and step aerobics and with a LOT of hard work and dedication, I reached my goal in February 2011 – in time for my wedding in May. It wasn’t easy. There were times when I wanted to give up, and times when I did give up and ate too much, but I never let one bad day turn into a bad week. I always got straight back on the wagon. No matter how tough it got though, I always kept my goal in sight, and that was improved health. With each pound, I could breathe better. When I reached my goal, I felt amazing, like a different person.

The battle did not stop there. I have been maintaining since then (up and down a few lbs here and there) and I truly think that is the hardest part. I can never eat whatever I want all the time, as I will put on weight so much quicker than other people, because of how much I have lost. That doesn’t mean I don’t treat myself, I do, but I still have a structured exercise routine to burn it all off and I eat clean 95% of the time. The recipes on this site are all about healthier alternatives to the foods I love. So, healthier cakes, and healthier alternatives to takeaways play a big part.

I started this website and the Facebook page back in June. I wanted to help other people who are in the same situation. It isn’t just about weight loss, it is about making lifestyle changes so you can be healthier. That includes eating better and exercising more. This website and the Facebook page keeps me on track with maintaining as well and it allows me to pass on all of the things I have learnt along the way. If you ever have anything to ask me, just head to the Facebook page and post on the wall or go to the contact section of this website.

Feel free to have a look around the website. You will find lots of recipes for healthier alternatives to the foods you love, blog posts, diet tips, exercises you can do at home, general news, products I love and even a 3 week kick start plan.

If this menu plan gets you to avoid eating out even ONE DAY it will have paid for itself!

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Why is it so difficult sometimes to get kids to listen? You know she heard you, but she ignores you. You ask again and still . . . no response.

If you’re tired of nagging, reminding and yelling to get kids to listen – this session is for you! Healthy Fit Families is excited to partner with Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions & TODAY Show contributor to offer a FREE LIVE training webinar on Wednesday, March 7 from 9-10 PM Eastern Time.

Join us to learn easy to implement strategies to correct misbehavior and reclaim the calm voice you had before kids. Discover proven tools for your most frustrating discipline dilemmas including the 5 R’s of Fair & Effective Consequences.

All you need is your computer. (No webcam required.) You’ll see and hear Amy on your screen and you can even ask questions and she’ll make them part of the presentation. Parents RAVE about this session.

Parenting expert Amy McCready is the Founder of Positive Parenting Solutions and a “recovering yeller.” She is a champion of positive parenting techniques for happier families and well-behaved kids. Amy reaches a worldwide audience with her Positive Parenting Solutions Online course and is a frequent guest on the TODAY Show and has also appeared on Rachael Ray, CNN, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, and elsewhere. In her most important role, she is mom to two teenage boys.

I received a request to “healthify” a granola recipe by a reader on my Facebook page. Granola is seen as a healthy food by a lot of people but surprisingly this “health” food can in fact be very unhealthy. Many are laden with sugar and the combination of the sweetener and dried fruits make it a very high glycemic food.

I make my recipe with just ¼ cup of honey and it is plenty sweet. I add a lot of nuts and seeds for protein, fiber and nutrition. I don’t add dried fruit to my granola, but you can add what you like. I typically eat it with a bit of plain yogurt and fresh berries or chopped apple. Another way to enjoy granola is like a trail mix – a few dark chocolate chips and you have a dessert worthy healthy treat with lots of fiber, vitamins and great crunch! We also sometimes spread a thin layer of peanut butter on a banana and roll it around in the granola – this is fun for the kids to make. What are your favorite ways to eat granola?

Make a big batch of this and keep it around for when you want to satisfy your urge to eat something crunchy and satisfying. Pack it in the kid’s lunches for a healthy boost to their lunch and keep them going all day long!

Mix everything until completely coated. Spread out on a nonstick baking sheet. In a 350 degree oven bake for 10 minutes. Toss well, bake 5 minutes, toss again, bake 5 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. As it cools it will crisp up and completely dry. When completely cool place in an airtight container or plastic zipper bags. Enjoy!

The weeks are definitely getting shorter and easier to handle. Congratulations on making it through another week. Just 3 weeks to go. Can you make it? Please don’t forget to check in “still in.” You guys are all AMAZING!

I have struggled with my weight since I was a young child. Even as an adult seeing the pictures from when I was such an overweight child in grade-school can bring tears to my eyes.

I started my first diet when I was a child and have spent the rest of my life trying to find that magical diet, pill or product that would make the weight disappear. I’ve tried all of the diets and diet pills and just about anything you can imagine, I gave it a try to lose weight.

I wasted many years losing and then gaining back weight by trying all of the newest diets. I was a professional dieter and was able to lose weight on most of the diets I tried. In fact, I lost large amounts of weight, 80 – 100 pounds a few times, only to gain it all back and also a few extra pounds added on.

I was always planning or thinking about my next diet and eating everything that I told myself would be off limits when I started my next diet. My inner dialogue was a constant negative chatter about food and what a failure I was because of my weight. When I realized how negative my self-talk was I realized my self-talk was a big reason for my struggle with weight and it needed to change.

I decided this time I had to do things different. I was going to focus on my health from the inside out. No diets, no deprivation or off limit foods, but a new positive and healthy lifestyle I could stick with forever.

The Three Steps I used to start focusing on my health were not as easy as they might look. You’ll notice my steps were all about adding in things. I was so tired of taking things away from myself and would rebel and overeat when I felt deprived. I decided to add in positive things and Focus on Getting Healthy. Read more of this remarkable article